Soul Touched by Dogs

Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs
Podcast, the show for dog lovers who

see dogs not as toys or tools, but
wise souls worth our respect and care.

I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host.

I talk to poor some humans, people who
do great work for dogs and their people.

So come and join us for
today's conversation.

Sarah: Hello and welcome Sarah.

I'm very excited to have you here.

I am very happy to be here.

Thank you for having me.

I appreciate it.

Anke: My pleasure.

My pleasure.

Let's start out, um, let people know where
you are based and then we dive right in.

What's your business with dogs?

Sarah: Well, I'm based in Los
Angeles, although I do spend a

lot of time in New York because
that's where I'm from originally.

And I, the reason that I am very, very
obsessed with dogs is because I love

them and I write about the journey
that people have with dogs, and I do

it through fiction, and that is my.

Work with dogs.

I tell stories about people who are
into dog rescue and I talk about the

rescuer and I talk about the dog.

So I kind of build the story
like let's say a Charles Dickens,

although I'm not Charles Dickens wood

build narrative that so.

Yeah, so I wrote a book called, I wrote
a novel called Dogs Have Angels Too.

And I wrote it a long time ago
actually, and it was based on

a stage play that I had, uh.

Done and written and, and workshopped
in New York, but I couldn't get

that deep into the characters.

So I wanted, I started to write
about each character, their journey.

Why did they rescue the dog?

Why were they fighting over their dog?

Why did they break up a
young couple over their dog?

And they became like a very small
part of this story actually.

Um, because the dog became the
star and her name is Athena.

Anke: I love this.

This is so fascinating now.

I mean, I'm like, I'm a million question,
let's just don, you know, so like,

Sarah: okay.

Anke: Where does, I mean,
first of all, if it's, if like

around the rescue piece, like.

Have you rescued or what's your
involvement with, with rescue

to even kind of like even have
this as an idea of a topic?

And then where did the idea come
from to turn this into a book?

Sarah: The Rescue is because when I was in
college, I rescued a little dog that, and

that was in the seventies and they were
euthanizing dogs and this was in Ohio and

this was a little puppy actually, and.

I rescued this little puppy from one
of these, um, I don't, I don't know

what the institution was named, but
it was a government institution.

I don't, it wasn't a shelter,
but it was one of those,

Anke: like

Sarah: a pound or something
like, yeah, something like that.

I, I don't remember the exact
technical or legal name of it.

It was like a 70 in the early seventies.

Okay.

So I take this little dog and I
name her Athena, who my character,

my main character is, and I.

I take her and I live in a dorm and
they're not, you're not allowed dorms.

I was, I think you're not
allowed dogs in dorms.

I was about 18 or 19 then, and I took
this dog and I, nobody said anything

and I had this little dog for two
years and then I moved to New York.

And that was the beginning.

That was the first res, no,
it was my second rescue.

My first rescue was, I saw a little
cat when I was about six or seven,

abandoned at, in, where I was raised.

And I took the little kitten
home and, um, my father would not

allow the kitten in the house.

And he took the kitten and put him
the little kitten, either was in

the entrance of a supermarket or
it was somewhere where people were.

Like a parking lot supermarket.

And I, and I'm, I'm praying that the
little kitten was found and adopted,

but that was kind of the beginning.

And then Athena was my real, my
real responsibility actually.

Hmm.

And

Anke: I

Sarah: love,

Anke: I I'm, so now that makes me
think, well, if I look at this, at

the beginning of, of this story,
when you were saying like, oh, you

know, young couple and young, like
who, how much of that is your story?

Sarah: There's a lot.

That's my story because I can,
I mean, I can't say a lot.

I can say that my imagin, I
can fictionalize a lot and I,

each character I can relate to.

'cause I can't write about
anything that I can't relate to.

So I have to have had some experience.

So one experience is I did have a
boyfriend that didn't like my little dog

because my little dog, you know, had.

And maybe I didn't, you know, maybe
there was some bladder issues.

I'm not, I I, I have to say
there were some bladder issues.

But anyway, he didn't like the dog
and I always had fights with this guy,

and of course I didn't stay with him,
but that kind of gave me the impetus

for this couple, that the guy makes
her give up the dog, she abandons

the dog, but the dog is adopted by.

The main character.

Who's Lena Schwartz?

AKA Ms.

Pink.

Ms.

Pink is a woman who I
actually, her name was.

Originally, Lena Schwartz.

Why did they name her?

Why did I name her?

Ms.

Pink?

And then she loved to wear pink and
she would often wear old clothing

because she was also going through
a lot of turmoil in her life.

And she had been a high powered executive.

She became somewhat homeless after.

Um.

There was like a, a turn in
the economics in oh eight when

the stock market had crashed.

Do you remember that Horrible
circumstance in the world.

Well, that's when I started to really
assimilate a lot of this information

about what happens to people if they
lose their job, if they lose their

retirement and they're in their late
fifties or early sixties, what do they do?

So Miss Pink becomes the top dog rescuer.

But did I know this woman?

Yes, I did know a woman who was
going through a lot of issues and.

Did lose her job and was losing her
teeth and was somewhat homeless.

Did she like dogs?

She loved dogs.

Did she have a dog?

No.

Did she say she was gonna rescue dogs?

Yes.

So I built my, these worlds around,
these people that wanted to save

dogs and care about dogs and have
purpose in life and the best for me.

What?

It gives me great purpose is when you help
somebody or an animal that's an underdog.

Anything that's an underdog
to me, it really it.

You help one, you help
everybody, you help everything.

It's biblical because
that's what teaches love.

And so, um.

I built this book based on
so many different parts of

my own professional career.

My writing, um, characters I met,
uh, I I cannot stand injustice

to animals or to people in need.

So it was about that.

And also I have a, I have a
real, um, interest in characters,

like really interesting people.

That are all, everybody's imperfect.

Everybody's going through trauma.

I love to explore that, and so I make a,
I put a positive bent on everything, even

though it's a sad, tragic subject, I.

Um, abandoning animals, killing
animals, killing, you know, abandoning

people because they're not perfect.

All that.

It's super depressing,
but it's not depressing.

If you can find a way to help because
at least you have a reason, you have

something, you're not just a bystander.

So that's kind of, and I turned it into
fiction 'cause I love storytelling.

I think it works.

Storytelling teaches us about our life
and world and it's digestible and it's,

and I made it kind of a dramedy too.

I didn't just, it wasn't,
it's not like totally serious.

It's funny, it's witty, it's,
you know, it's female-centric.

Incidentally, it's really, uh,
the audience is mainly female.

Anke: Yeah.

Sarah: That read the book.

Anke: I bet.

Sarah: Although, I bet I get
beautiful, beautiful, um, reviews

and, and feedback from men.

It's very much for women.

Anke: Mm.

So you were a writer before,
so this wasn't your first book.

Right.

It's, it's not, or the
first piece of writing my

Sarah: career.

I'm not a writer.

Career mo as a career person.

I feel like it is my, uh, journey.

It's a soul journey for me.

My background is, I had founded and
started a TV commercial production

company in the eighties, and I made
it, it became super successful.

It was international.

We worked all over the world.

I stayed in that.

Production company running
it for over 25 years and, um,

almost like bordering 30 years.

But in the whole, the whole time I
did it, uh, whole time I was running

my company, I was also writing.

So I've written a ton of plays.

I've written screenplays, I've
written tons of poetry that have

been, that's been published, and
I, this was is my second novel.

The first one I'm still kind of
working on, believe it or not.

Um, it's a, it's a Ro, contemporary
Romance, but this is my second,

the dogs have Angels too, which is
the name of this book is my second.

And it did get published and it
did win Best in women's fiction

from Indie Reader Discovery Award.

So it was acknowledged
and, um, I was thrilled.

I was so thrilled by that.

That meant a lot to me.

So I, I spend a lot of
my time now writing and.

Uh, do I do it professionally?

I'm starting actually to
really take it professional.

Mm.

Like I'm really reaching out and I am,
you know, dealing with publishers and I,

I'm, I'm taking it much more for real.

Yeah, I guess after
winning an award, right?

So you, that helped me, your chops right?

That helped me a lot, um, with my
confidence in my work and also that people

felt it had that validity and, um, so
that's, these are all very important.

I also did a lot with the book and that I
took the, uh, character's, affirmations,

and I created an entire merchandise line.

I made like, uh, sweatshirts, t-shirts,
coffee mugs, computer bags with a lot

of the sayings that the characters had.

And they're, they're very
quirky and they're adorable.

So I.

I, I have that as part of my brand.

You know, I kind of am
building a dog rescue brand.

And so that's part of it.

And what it does is it brings
awareness to dog rescue.

And that's really, and it also brings
funds because I can then, when I have

some proceeds, I take a portion of
that and I donated to animal rescue

places, so I have some capital then.

And that's what, and it's not a lot
of capital because, you know, a book.

You know, there's very little, uh, money
that you can earn from a book these

days, but, um, on the t-shirts there's
a little bit more and it just opens up

a lot of opportunity and connection to
a communities, uh, rescue communities.

Anke: Yeah, for sure.

For sure.

And so, have you had like some, some,
you know, input from rescue organizations

who say, Hey, you know, like we are
gonna help you promote the book.

Sarah: Oh yeah.

Um, there's a lot.

And if you go on my website,
I've associated with rescues now.

There's so many that I love that
I would love to associate, but

I don't have bandwidth mentally,
physically, to do everything.

So I've selected maybe like I think eight
or nine that are on the website, and

several of them do have links to, from my.

To, to do the, you know,
to purchase the book.

And they will get a portion from that.

But what's really important from
More Than the Money also is that

they're listed on the website.

So if people wanna learn more about
them, they can go on the website

and they can, they have links.

They can open it up, they can
say, Hey, I like this one.

I like that one.

Each rescue is a different, they have
a different, um, like discipline for,

for instance one is, um, I just wanna.

One is called Feeding
Pets of the Homeless.

And this is important to me
because my character is somewhat

homeless and she has dogs and she
obviously tries to get them rescued.

Okay.

But she works for a, she, you know,
she works for government, um, shelter.

So this is called Feeding
Pets of the Homeless You.

This organization, through
their donations, through in

all over the United States.

Gives money, feeds the ho,
the homeless people's dogs.

And they also take care of
all of the medical needs of

the homeless people's dogs.

So these dogs never suffer at all.

They are taken care of.

So this organization is very
important, and I believe it was

one of the first of its kind.

I, I had many conversations with,
um, the CEO, the director of the um.

Organization who in fact was in New
York and saw homeless woman with a dog.

And that's what encouraged her
to do this many years ago and

built an incredible organization.

I love that.

So that's her, that's her story.

And you can read about it.

Just, you know, go on.

Dogs have angels too.

Com, you read about it and you can
donate or do whatever you want with her.

You can volunteer, you could, you
know, everything's welcome, you know,

the, and also, um, there's another
one, well, I don't wanna promote

all the, you know, you can go on the
website, but there's one called Pet It

Forward, which is a beautiful one too.

And they keep the pet owners, um, who are
going through financial hardships and.

Maybe have to surrender their dogs.

They don't want them to surrender
their dogs, so they give them money

to keep their d to pay for their food.

And, and, and they're not homeless.

These people, they're just going
through a normal, what we all go

through, you know, maybe a lack of,
uh, money for the moment, no employment

for the moment, whatever that is.

Um, sickness.

So I, I'm, I'm really, really concerned
about taking care of the people too.

The people and the dogs.

So,

Anke: so in, in your, like, you know,
in, in all the, all the conversations

you might have had and, and all the
whole process of, of writing the

book, is there something that you
learned about the whole world of

rescue that you didn't know before?

Sarah: Um, I learned that
people are extremely passionate.

They're kind, it's.

It has nothing to do
with, um, being political.

It, it, you know, it was so different
than the world that I came from.

Mm-hmm.

I'm not saying business is, is, is
business is a whole different world.

It's a business of competition.

It's supply and demand.

It's, it's, it has different values.

The dog rescue, they're concerned
about one thing, let's help the dogs

and let's get the money, you know,
through donations to help the dogs.

And it's a very loving,
altruistic environment.

It it, and when you say angels,
these people are angels.

And the people are angels.

And actually the dogs are angels because
they make us look at life differently.

Look, and I look in a dog's eyes.

I feel like I'm looking in God's eyes
and 'cause it's unconditional love.

And I, and that's what also I,
I believe the animals bring to

us and we have to protect them.

Like we have to protect anything
that can't take care of itself.

It's when we're the, when we are.

The ones that have to be responsible.

We have to really, truly be responsible.

And we, we cannot be cruel.

We cannot be cruel.

And there can't be commercial
value put on all of this.

Uh, animals shouldn't
have commercial value.

Yeah, I agree.

Like people shouldn't So true.

So anyway, that's, that's a.

Kind of, I touch upon
that in the, in the novel.

Um, but I do it in a, in
a, a very entertaining way.

Um, I don't, I am act, I'm
absolutely in the novel.

They close down puppy mills.

Mm-hmm.

And they go after them.

And, and it's a beautiful,
uh, feeling when you see that

injustice is no longer injustice.

And they get.

They get outed out and exposed.

So I have that and that's, that
deals with that commercial value

aspect I'm talking about right now.

Yeah.

Um, that animals have, their
wellbeing has to come first.

So that's what I learned,
uh, and what I get.

I, it's amazing.

Like I love the community.

I, I feel so nurtured and I'm so
happy, uh, just to be, just to be

able to participate in whatever
way I am as a storytellers, a

novelist, hopefully one day these.

This gets, uh, rolled into a,
I'd love it to be a TV series.

I think it would be a great TV series
and a great platform for dog adoption.

So, I mean, I'm praying that, you
know, one day that gets, gets done too.

Anke: Yeah, well, like I could
imagine like a movie and it's true

because it brings that whole world.

Into the awareness of people.

And I think it's almost like you
start looking differently at the dog

in front of you or at that neighbor's
dog at, you know, like the whole, the

whole, and hopefully people also more.

Well, on the one hand,
more people get involved.

On the other hand, people, people
treat dogs better to start with.

There won't be so many shelters needed.

Right.

So it's almost like on,
on both ends, right?

Mm-hmm.

Sarah: Exactly.

And also what it means to abandon.

Like this is a very, um.

Loaded subject.

And I guess there's a lot of
laws and politics involved with,

with dog wealth welfare now, and
I don't quite know all of that.

All the laws each state has, you know,
in the United States they have their own

laws, like some euthanize, some don't.

Um, you know, puppy mills are illegal
in some states, they're legal in

others, you know, so as long as
you have everything that's, um.

Like conditional, oh, you know, 20 states
have this and 20 states don't have that,

you're gonna still have these issues.

Anke: Yeah, that's so true.

And I think it's almost, I always said
like there is, there needs to be a new

generation who gets brought up differently
for that to really make, you know,

for there to be like a massive change.

So.

You know, gauging by the enthusiasm
that literally comes through the screen.

You know, do you have like another
idea, like an idea for the next

book or something like that?

And what, what the, what
will be the focus there

Sarah: the next, well, first
of all, I've been writing a lot

of short stories about animals.

One's called Crate Me, not It.

It's about, um, not creating
your animals for punishment.

Learn, you know, but to crate for the
training and to be able to differentiate

the difference, it's also another couple
that's fighting over a young couple,

fighting over, you know, what's right and
what's wrong about how we train this dog.

This Rhodesian wrote Ridgeback
who is now two years old and

you know, how do we handle this?

And so it's them working out.

A educating themselves, B, being able
to talk to each other without, you know,

threatening each other, that they're
gonna leave each other and saying,

okay, we're gonna raise this Rhodesian
rich back, you know, in the right way.

So this is what that short story is
called, but my next plan is to take

the dogs have angels to book and.

Align with either a TV product producer,
you know, showrunners or um, producer

in film, you know, feature film lane
or an actor that wants to align,

that has a rescue that has, has, has
the capability to, you know, raise

money 'cause their box office and.

That's where I want this to go.

So all of my focus now is trying
to get this into a visual medium.

'cause the book is so visual.

And that's, that's really
where I'm at right now.

Ooh, that sound, that's like,

Anke: that sounds so exciting.

You know, and I love, I love that
it's packaged in this entertaining

way because, you know, like it's more
memorable like that it's not kind

of dry and, and, um, yeah, it just.

And I, I have to admit, like I got
sucked into, into this story, like,

like, you know, it's one of those books
that you start is just like, watch it.

'cause you know you're not
gonna be able to put it down.

So.

Yes.

Oh yeah.

So definitely.

Thank you.

Definitely.

And, uh, so where can people
go to find out more about you?

To find out, you know, to get the
book, to get a sample of the book

and, um, anything else you are up to.

Sarah: Well, okay, the website
is Dogs Have Angels two.com.

You can sign up to the email list.

You can buy the book.

Either print, you can do an ebook, you
can, um, but if you go to the site, you're

gonna also have a whole story about.

Um, you're gonna have the beautiful
merchandise that has these really

cute dogs and little affirmations.

You can order coffee
mugs, you can do whatever.

You know, it's, it's a bit
of a storytelling site.

So, and then you have the
rescue, uh, information there.

So I would say that
dogs have angels to.com

is your best bet.

You can do everything from there.

You can order, you know, um, the book
directly from the au from the author.

You can order it through Amazon,
but do it on the website because

you'll, I think you're gonna
get a, a, a really nice feeling.

Um, by going to the website.

It's positive, it's sweet,
it's adorable, it's quirky.

So I, it just, that's what
I can suggest and thank you.

Awesome.

That

Anke: sounds delightful.

And I just love it when, you
know, I always say like, magic

happens when passions merge.

And like in your case, like
two really big ones have merged

in the most delightful way.

So thank you so much to, for sharing,
for coming along and um, you know,

introducing you, introducing us to.

To this fabulous work.

So thank you.

Oh,

Sarah: I, I so appreciate that
you have me on your podcast.

Thank you.

And thank your audience very much.

God bless.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks so much for listening.

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget
to subscribe, and leave a review so

other dog lovers can find the show.

If you haven't already, head
over to soul touched by dogs.

com and sign up for weekly doggy cuteness
tips, recommendations, and personal

stories to warm your dog loving heart.

And if you know a pawsome human
you think I should interview,

I'd love an introduction.

Email me at Anke.

That's A N k E at Soul
touched by dogs.com.